Type bars for calculating and bookkeeping machines



E. MULLER 2,746,385

TYPE BARS FOR CALCULATINGAND BOOKKEEPING MACHINES May 22, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1952 l w w May 22, 1956 E. MULLER 2,746,385

TYPE BARS FOR CALCULATING-AND BOOKKEEPING MACHINES Filed May 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r TYPE BARS FORCALCULATINGAND BOOKKEEPINGMACHINES Ernst Miiller, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Precisa A, G. Rechenmaschinenfabrik, Zurich, Switzerland Application May 20, 1952, Serial No.288,822 3 Claims. c1. 101 -109) The invention relates to calculating'and bookkeeping machines, and more particularly to the elements thereof which carry the types for printing the numerals or characters. b I

Some of. such calculating and bookkeeping machines use 1 type racks which are vertically guided in operation,

. and are actuated by means of intermediate pinions and toothed racks. individual types are used in suchmachines for the numerals or characters which are held in a cage and are horizontally projected against the platen by the printing mechanism. These individual'types are springs.

Such type racks are, however, very expensive to produce since the numeral types have to be milled and stamped individually. Moreover their mounting is very .laborious since the types have to be fitted individually.

Finally these types have to be set individually after having been fitted to the machine, in order to attain a uniform level of the typing.

The invention has for one of its main objects the over-, coming of these difficultiesand in providing a type rack for calculating and bookkeeping machines wherein the setting of all types is eifected simultaneously and preferably in the course, of the production of the type racks without requiring any subsequent adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a type lever and type bar rack arrangement for calculating and bookkeeping machines and the like consisting of but a few simple parts that are so formed thatthey may be quickly correlated and joined together to form finished unitary assemblies ready for use in machines of the kind mentioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary assembly of this kind wherein precision and uniformity reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the necessity of considerable hand labor and individual fitting when arranging the assemblies in a machine.

With these and other objects in view I provide a type scribed, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. I

In the drawing: 1 b Fig. 1 is' a lateral elevation, and

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a type rack according to l the invention.

Fig. 3 is a lateral elevation ofa typical calculating machine to which the invention can be applied.

Referring first to Fig. 3, each type rack 1 is guided vertically on the machine frame, and a toothed rack 8 at its back meshes with an intermediate gear wheel. 18, which in turn meshes with a horizontal toothed rack 52'.

The latter can be moved in the horizontal direction by a tension spring 49, attached to a fixed partof the machine, when released by a cross bar 51 operated by a hand lever 50 against the action of a tension spring 48. The extent at which the racks 52 are shifted is controlled by the pins. 43 cooperating with projections 45 of slides 47' integral with the racks 52. These pins are controlled by the number keys 37 of the adjusting mechanism.

teeth 9. Theset of teeth 8 on the back meshes with an j intermediate pinion 18 which in turn meshes .with the brought into their rest position by means of compression 7 associated one of the toothed racks 52 before mentioned of the adjusting mechanism while the frontal set of are obtained in producing counterpart assemblies, thereby rack for calculating and bookkeeping machines corn prising in combination: a toothed rack guided in operation vertically in the said machine, a tiltable type lever pivoted to the said toothed rack and preferably biassed into a rest position relative thereto by a spring engaging the said type lever and the said toothed rack, and a set of type forming an integral piece carried by the said type lever to which it is, for example, cast or spray-deposited.

to the particular details and dimensions shown and deteeth. 9 meshes with an intermediate pinion 19 which in The toothed rack 1 and a type lever 2 are pivotally connected together at the bottom ends for relative swinging movement about a pin or stud 4. A spring 11 tends to retain the type lever 2 in its rest position as shown in Fig. 1. and a slot '12 in the like end of said type lever 2 serve to limit such movement and provide for the mutual guidance of the parts 1, 2. The slot 12 is an arcuate one and has its axis coincident with that of the pin or stud 4. As will be seen, the type lever 2 carries a set of types 6 along its top front edge and which types are stamped or cast integrally as one piece, whereby the expensive setting of the types as well as the fitting of the individual numerals or characters is dispensed with. The upper end of the type lever 2 is provided at its rear or back edge with an abutment ledge 13 which is adapted to be acted upon by the printing mechanism of the associated machine in the usual way.

The construction of the type lever and type bar rack as described has the advantage that it may be produced as a unitary assembly and, if desired, said assembly can be fitted subsequently to existing machines which previously were equipped wth vertically guided type racks having the numerals arranged in a cage. Fitting the new type lever and type bar rack assembly does not involve any alterations of the other components of the machine whatsoever. 7

A calculating machine showing the general arrangevertically during operation when controlled by the actu-- ating mechanism of said machine, a toothed rack series 1 A 2,746,385 p Patented May 22, 19 5 A rivet or stud 5 on the top end of said rack.

of te'eth orroppositeedgesthereof adapted to be engaged by-the aetuating meehanism ofsaid maehine; a typeleven rockably mounted on said tooth rack with its lower end pivoted to the lower end of said rack a. spring,arm .en

ciicling said pivot with one"end"afiii(ed'to said'raekand" the opposite end engaging said type lever to.,yieldingly urge said leverin an inoperative position, a pin a'n'd'slot connection between the" upper ends ,of saidtooth rack and type l'ever'to guide said type lever in its to and. fro

movement with respect to the machine platen',,andaset of'type formedintegralwithsaid'typelever andextending along one of the vertical, edges? thereof.

21A type rack forcalculatingfand bookkeeping machines and c0mp' rising in combination therewith; a rela. tivelyjfl 'atibarmountedin the machine for guided'longi having a bifurcated lower end and provided with gear engagingraele teeth along its-frontandrear edges, and

a type bar lever disposed along one side of said member and having type characters along the front edge of its upper end, means providing a pivotal connection between the lower ends of said lever and member respectively and whereby said lever rnafygzswing to and fro relative to a said member in thedirectiom of; the plane of the edges tudinal movement under" the control of. the actuating.

mechanism" ofi said machine; rack teeth" at opposite edges;

ofsaidbanengageabl'e by partsof' saidmech'anisrn for imparting said; longitudinal movement to said. bar, ,a type leverpivotally' mountedat' one endon' one endof-said" liar-fora to andfrolswinging movement in a plane'parallel theed'gesjofsaid bar, type characters. integral with one edge of the other endofsaid lever,ra'.pin and slot connection between the other ends of said b'ar' and? l'ever' respectively-for guiding. and" limiting said movement of saidlever relative to s'aidbar, at'lea'st' in one direction; andspring'meansengaged with parts of'said bar and said lever'respectively"normally operating to yieldingly urge;

said lever" into its inoperative. position. with respect to' the platen'of said machine. v 3;. Asan article: of manufacture, a type lever'and'rack assembly for calculating and bookkeeping machines and the like, comprising a relatively flat bar like. member of said me'mlien. means. roviding-.1 a: pinand" slot connection between said'lever and said member at a point spaced longitudinally from: said-i pivotal connection for limiting? the" relative swinging: movement of said lever and said membenspringv means operatively; engaged with parts of said lever and said member respectively and tending to swingathelever rearward'lyrimo its inoperative position on said member, andmeans carried by the rear upper end of said lever forming an engageable actuating abutmenttherefor.

References CitedJnt-he file of: this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Benning'ei' July 24, 1951 

